Exercises and Maintenance

All exercises to be done with no pain. Stretch is most effective on a warm muscle, such as after a shower. Can be done up to 2x a day, or as directed by Dr. Trish.

1. Lean or sit on the edge of your bed or a hard surface about waist height. Extend one arm to the side with your hand in a plank, fingertips resting on the surface.
2. Tilt your head slightly away from extended arm while pressing fingertips into surface. You should feel a stretch in the muscles of your neck, sometimes extending past the shoulder into the arm.
3. Hold position for 3 deep breaths (about 30 seconds). Return to starting position and repeat to the opposite side.

All exercises to be done with no pain. This exercise can be done starting at 1x a day before bed, working to reach 2x per day: once in the morning when waking up, then in the evening before bed. Or as directed by Dr. Trish.

1. Start by lying on your bed flat on your back, with knees bent.
2. Take a rolled bath towel and place it beneath your neck in the natural curve of the cervical spine. Both head and shoulders will be raised off the bed; try to bring shoulders down to the bed.
3. Rest in this position with slow even breaths for up to 15 minutes. If pain occurs, usually in a burning sensation, remove towel and rest. Slowly work up to 15 minutes over the next two weeks. (Note: It is normal to only be able to handle 2 minutes when first starting this exercise.)

Best towel rolling method

Start with a thin bath towel; as the exercise becomes more comfortable, slowly work up to a thicker towel. Start with the towel vertical, fold each side into center. Fold along center to create a quarter fold. Roll the towel as tightly as you can. Use string or duct tape to hold the towel in a tight roll. (We used rubber bands for the pictures.) We used a thicker towel for pictures. You should not start at this thickness. Dr. Trish recommends keeping the towel roll on or by your bed for easy remembering.

All exercises to be done with no pain. Can be done up to 2x a day, or as directed by Dr. Trish.

1. Sit on the edge of your bed or in a chair. Start with head in mid line and shoulders relaxed.
2. Lower your right shoulder or sit on your hand. Then tilt your head away from the right shoulder, bringing your left ear towards your left shoulder.
3. Hold for 20 seconds while keeping even breaths.
4. Return to mid line, repeat on same side 2 more times. Discomfort may occur; the goal of this stretch is a therapeutic discomfort ranging from 4–5 out of 10 on the pain scale.
5. Return to mid line, and repeat stretch 3x to the opposite side, 20 seconds each, keeping an even breath.